More tornadoes possible in South this weekend

Severe weather season is ramping up as the chance for more strong storms threatens parts of the South this weekend, on the heels of Thursday’s deadly tornado outbreak.

Around 70 million people could face severe storms this weekend, including Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh and Washington, D.C.

“Conditions, like we will have on Saturday (today) and Sunday, can fool people. You look at the forecast and say, ‘Well that’s not as bad as Thursday,’ and that is true,” said CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. “These high risk days we’ve seen this year inadvertently alter your expectations. Will we have the same risk as yesterday? No. Will we still have some tornadoes, hail and wind? Yes.”

While the tornado risk may be lower this weekend, it only takes one to hit your home to make this a dangerous, damaging event.

A new weather disturbance moving in from the west will introduce showers and thunderstorms beginning this morning.

The Storm Prediction Center has a level 3 out of 5, “enhanced risk” for severe storms for portions of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. There is also a risk, albeit lower, from central Illinois through northern Texas and northern Georgia today into tonight, encompassing about 30 million people.

A few rounds of showers and storms are expected during the day today across the mid-Mississippi River Valley. The severe weather threat will be most significant overnight, however.

Overnight severe weather, especially when tornadoes are involved, is most dangerous. During the day, it’s not as difficult to spot a tornado, but at night it is rather impossible.

Storms will begin to develop this evening across the southern Plains and Midwest, and they will track eastward into a more favorable environment for impactful storms.

The threat then shifts toward the East Coast for Sunday, with about 57 million people at risk for severe storms.